The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-10-08
ooLFAx. GRANT PARISH La SATURDAY, OCTOBER s, 1887

danger of continuing one man as
governor for more than two terms,
while in but few States the gov
ernors are elected for as long a
period as four years, the large
majority of them being elected for
only one, two and three years.
Major G. L. Hall, of Orleans,
was next introduced, and in a plain,
matter-of-fact way showed how it
was possible for governor to 80
intrench himself, by favors in the
way of appointments, pardons, etc.
as to make show of exceeding
strength, whereas, if the matter be
thoroughly sifted, his popularity
is found exist mainly among office
holders and pardoned criminals
and their friends, while the great
mass are opposed to him and want
a change.
Gen. Nichols upon being intro
duced was greeted with round
of applause. He said he had no
apology to make for any of his
official acts, but, as some persons
had endeavored to make capital by
placing him in a false position be-
fore the people, he considered it
due to his friends to make known
his reasons for the acts that had
been called in question. It was
plainly to be seen that he was
talking to an audience that was in
full accord with him, and endorsed
every act he has done.
The committee on resolutions an
nounced their readiness to report,
and at the request Of B. M. Hulse,
chairman of the committee, the res
olutions were read by III. G. Good
wyn, as follows:
Whereas. the Democratic party of our
State is soon to assemble IN convention
in the city OF Baton Rouge to nominate
State ticket, we reaffirm our allegiance
to the party, both State and National,
and pledge the nominees of the conven-
ton our unqualified support. And, being
anxious to keep iny1olate beth the prac~
tees and precedents of the party, and to
elect such men to Office as viii thoroughly
appreciate their duties in the premises;
therefore be it,
Resolved, That the administration of
Gen. Francis I. Nichols, during the dark
days of reconstruction, is the grandest in
our history; that we are indebted to him
for the overthrow and defeat of the Re
publican party in Louisiana, and for
whatever we have had of good govern
ment and prosperity in our State since
the war.
Resolved, That it is the sense OF this
meeting that it is the unwritten law OF
the land, that the chief magistrate of a
State shall not continue In Office longer
we charge our present Governor with
violating one OF the fundamental doc
trines of the Democratic party, in his
efforts to secure the nomination for a
third term.
Resolved, That in our judgment the
convention which recently assembled IN
Baton Rouge and nominated a Congress
man for the 9th district departed from
-, ~,
parishes of Ayoyeiles and St Landry
representation on the floor of the con-
vention. and that we denounce the action
of the convention in this instance as
arbitrary, and calculated to disrupt the
party.
And whereas we as Democrats feel that
the prosperity OF our State depends upon
the perpetuity Of the creeds of our
fathers, and that the only method OF
keeping alive these cardinal principles is
to keep intact the Democratic party Of
our State; and whereas we believe it
necessary to that end, that the chief ex-
ecutive should repudiate in the policy OF
the distribution OF his patronage the
odious tendency to personalism, in the
arbitrary use of the appointing power in
direct opposition to the will of the peo-
pie as expressed by ballot, which is the
bane of party in these later days; and
whereas to properly guard against this
danger he should be imbued with a
spirit of strict probity, impartiality and
unyielding firmness; therefore be it
Resolved, That we as Democrats. look
ing to the best interests of the party and
our common country, recognize the fact
that Gen. Francis 7. Nichols, by his gal
liant services In behalf of the Confederacy
proved himself true and loyal soldier,
and that his administration of the affairs
of our beloved State as its chief execu-
tive in the troublous days of reconstruc-
ton, stamped him as a patriot of sterling
worth, a statesman of firmness and sa-
gacity. q true, conscientious and able